Sr. Food Safety Specialist/SQF Practitioner

Summit Hill Foods Inc•Rome, GA

13d

About The Position

This position is responsible for ensuring food safety through compliance with applicable food laws, regulations, guidance issued by applicable regulatory agencies and customer requirements. Develops and assures implementation of comprehensive food safety programs, including all Food Safety (HACCP) and Food Quality Plans, Food Fraud Plans, Supplier Approval policies, programs, as well as assuring compliance with SQF Standards. Ensures a total business focus on proactive and preventative controls to reduce quality and food safety liability and mitigate risk. Acts as the corporate SQF Practitioner. Builds and maintains strong working relationships with internal customers all while championing and promoting HPWP culture, including HP Safety.

Requirements

Expertise Level: Highly refined people management, planning, and organization skills. Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, math skills, attention to detail, strong problem solving and analytical skills, knowledge of SQF, GMPs, HACCP, FFVA and relevant federal and state regulations related to quality and food safety, good understanding of quality systems and quality auditing.
Subject matter expert in SQF. Solid knowledge of effective food safety procedures.
Knowledge of sanitary equipment design
Working knowledge of cleaning chemicals, sanitizers and cleaning tools
Knowledge of basic chemistry and math skills (percentages, proportions, etc.).
Excellent management and communication skills, proven ability to provide proactive leadership. Excellent verbal and organization skills.
Self-motivated; self-disciplined with ability to work under limited direction.
Work well in fast-paced environment of high expectations and proficient at conflict resolution.
Proficient in all Microsoft Office Applications, SAP and Intelex, ReposiTrak
Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science, Chemistry, or closely related field is preferred
10 years of experience in quality in a major food processing facility or related field.
Licenses/Certification: HACCP Certification, SQF Practitioner Certification, ASQ Auditor Certification.

Responsibilities

Be an HPWP Leader though managing, motivating, and leading cross-functional teams utilizing HPWP principles to drive Eighth Element Process Improvement projects.
Development, execution and validation of corporate food safety systems as well as tracking and measuring progress & opportunities for improvement.
Leads the implementation of effective and comprehensive systems to ensure compliance with regulatory, customer, corporate and SQF requirements.
Ensures implementation and standardization of food safety systems across all Summit Hill Foods facilities.
Acts as food safety gate keeper for prototype products headed to commercialization. Manages relationship with our Process Authority.
Manages Supplier Approval Process through desk audits for lower risk suppliers and physical audits high risk suppliers on established cadence.
Develops and assures the maintenance and effectiveness of all Food Safety (HACCP)Plans, Ingredient Risk Assessments, Quality Plans, and Food Defense plans, and verifies effectiveness through trend analysis and statistical reporting.
Assures maintenance of SQF Registries.
Maintains Corporate Document control – Annual reviews and all applicable updates.
Manages the Business Continuity Plan, Recall Plan and triggers Mock Exercises.
Maintains Food Fraud Vulnerability Assessment annually and with any addition of new raw materials.
Participates in Management Reviews of food safety and quality systems to ensure senior leadership is aware of system performance and on-going corrective action status.
Executes Internal Audit Programs in compliance with SQF. Verifies system implementation and validates effectiveness. Performs Internal Audit Team training and mentors team members on auditing fundamentals and process.
Ensures SQF Certification at all Summit Hill’s facilities. Supports Quality Managers and Plant Food Safety Specialists in the SQF process.
Maintains personal certifications for SQF Practitioner and HACCP
Liaises with Procurement to assure Supplier Approval Compliance & Documentation
Assists in the planning and decision making for equipment approval processes for sanitary design purposes.
Identify gaps/opportunities for improvements specific to food safety. Investigates deficiencies and corrects concerns in an effective and timely fashion